Improvement in signal-lanterns



H. C. FELTHGUSEN.

vSignal Lantern.

No. 33331. P a'tented Dec. 3', 1861.

533 865: [hale/21,507 6%? w H M UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY .O. FELTIIOUSEN, OF BUFFALO, NESV YORK.

1M PROVEM ENT EN SIG NAL-LA-NTERNS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 33,831 dated December 3, 1861.

.To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY C. FELTHOUSEN, of the city of Bufialo and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Constructing and Operating Signal-Lights for Vessels; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure I is partly in elevation and partly in section, the section being taken on line a b of Fig. II. Fig. II is a vertical section through the center from front to rear. Fig. III is a side elevation, in part, to show more clearly the operation of the hooks or springs upon the movable rods for raising and lowering the colored glasses.

The nature of my invention relates, first, to the described arrangement of a pair of vertical rods upon two opposite sides of the lantern, one of each pair being stationary and the othermovable, and both connected to the colored glass as a means of raising and lowering and supporting the colored glass for change of signals; secondly, in constructing a funnel air-tight at its apex and sides, and suspending it, inverted, over the top of the lamp-chimney, so as to prevent any pressure or pufi of air from striking the top of the chimney, thereby adapting the lamp to burning kerosene-oil.

Letters of like name and kind refer to like parts in each of the figures.

In Fig. I the green glass is represented at A, and is in position to reflect a green light in front andat the sidesof the lantern. The red glass is shown at B, and is raised to its highest position in the dark part of the lantern, and in that position it does not transmit any light at all. Each of the colored glasses is supported in a frame, (represented at 0,) and these frames are connected to the vertical rods D and E by means of the cross-piece F and tube G. The rods D are stationary, and the tubes G slide up and down on them, and the rodsE are movable and are grasped bythe thumb and finger for raising and lowering the colored glass. They slide up and down in the stationary tubes H. A long slot is made through the lantern-frame and also through the tubes H, so as to allow the connecting piece F to pass through the slots and connect with the movable rods E. The tube G and the cross-piece F are connected to the frame 0, and the cross-piece also connects with the rod E, so that the colored glass, tube G, crosspiece F, and rod E all rise and fall together, the rodE serving as a handle to be grasped by the hand of the operator. The colored glasses are so arranged that one is slightly in advance of the other, and so that they can passeach other in their up-and-down movements, and so that both may be raised into. the dark part of the lantern when the white light is shown.

The lamp I is placed centrally within the lantern, so that a full light is shown at the sides of the lantern as well as in front.

The funnel is represented at J. This is made air-tight at its apex and sides, and is suspended from the top of the lantern, as shown, its large flaring mouth dropping down over and slightly below the top of the chimney, so that any air coming in through the top of the lantern will be thrown off and not interfere with the draft-current at the top of the chimney. It is well known that a slight puff of airin the draft at the top of the chimney will cause a kerosene-lamp to smoke. This arrangement of the air-tight funnel avoids this difficulty and permits kerosene and other like oils to be economically used. In order to prevent a too direct current of air entering in at the top of the lantern, I have put on an additional ring or guard, as shown at K.

The ordinary lantern-top is shown at L. I have made several holes through this outside guard, as shown at M, for the escape of Whatever water may get into the space between this guard and the top L.

O is the lamp-chimney; P, reservoir for oil; Q, outside lantern-case; Q bail; R, air holes; S, air-tubes; T, door; T dark part of the lantern; U, reflector, of ordinary construction.

At V, Fig. III, is shown a hook, placed upon one side of the lantern to catch under the end of the movable rod when raised to its highest position, in order to hold the colored glasses up in their highest position in the dark part of the lantern. A slot h is cut in the tube to allow the end of the hook to pass in when the rod is raised, so that its lower end will pass the hook. The hook will by its gravity fall under the end of the rod and hold it up. A

spring-button or other equivalent device may be used for this purpose instead of the hook, as may be preferred. The movable rods E may be made straight, With a bulb on their upper ends for taking hold of, for raising and lowering, instead of a bend in the rods. These rods and the tubes H may be placed inside of the lantern Without departing from the principle of my invention, although for convenience I prefer to place them 011 the outside, as represented.

I claim 1. The arrangement of the movable and stationary vertical rods D and E, the movpurposes and substantially as described.

HENRY C. FELTHOUSEN. WVitnesses:

E. B. FoRBUsH, H. II. MEALY. 

